GHL to John Blackwood, Shottermill, 21 August 1871
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, Shottermill, 21 August 1871
Title
GHL to John Blackwood, Shottermill, 21 August 1871
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
John Blackwood
Date(s)
- 1871-08-21
Place
Shottermill
Letter Content
GHL to John Blackwood, Shottermill, 21 August 1871
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Shotter Mill nr Petersfield | 21 August 1871.
My dear Blackwood
Last night Mrs. Lewes read to me what she has written of part III -- "Dorothea Married" 352 -- and my delight in it not only confirms the expectation of a great success, but also confirms my belief in the desirability of bi-monthly publication. This being decided, and since we ought to publish the first part at Christmas -- to be out before the Americans with whom our arrangement has been made -- it is now time to settle about the terms of publication.
Since the plan is novel and may not realize all that one hopes from its novelty the choice is open to you to speculate or not as you think fit. Assuming that the work will consist of 4 volumes to sell at 40/- if you propose to take the risk we should be willing to part with the English right only, for 4 years (which would bring it into your other term of copyrights) for the sum of £6,000 -- payable in the course of 1872-3 in any instalments you may think fit.
Or if we take the risk we should require a royalty of 2/- per copy sold, on each 5/- part, in the original form, and an equivalent royalty on copies in cheaper editions. Half yearly accounts.
We ought to sell 10,000 at this cheap rate, because soon the Libraries will find it more profitable than ordinary novels since they will have 8 volumes to distribute in lieu of 4. But no one can tell.
Were we not lucky to have escaped the festival 353 which seems to have been a failure? The more so as the weather here was delicious and we have got into that charming house opposite our cottage, so that creature comforts have permitted work to go on quietly and successfully.
We return to the Priory on the 1st September. Not to shoot partridges but far wilder birds known as "readers in general" who are not at all particular.
Ever yours faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
John Blackwood Esq.
MS: National Library of Scotland. Hitherto unpublished.
Shotter Mill nr Petersfield | 21 August 1871.
My dear Blackwood
Last night Mrs. Lewes read to me what she has written of part III -- "Dorothea Married" 352 -- and my delight in it not only confirms the expectation of a great success, but also confirms my belief in the desirability of bi-monthly publication. This being decided, and since we ought to publish the first part at Christmas -- to be out before the Americans with whom our arrangement has been made -- it is now time to settle about the terms of publication.
Since the plan is novel and may not realize all that one hopes from its novelty the choice is open to you to speculate or not as you think fit. Assuming that the work will consist of 4 volumes to sell at 40/- if you propose to take the risk we should be willing to part with the English right only, for 4 years (which would bring it into your other term of copyrights) for the sum of £6,000 -- payable in the course of 1872-3 in any instalments you may think fit.
Or if we take the risk we should require a royalty of 2/- per copy sold, on each 5/- part, in the original form, and an equivalent royalty on copies in cheaper editions. Half yearly accounts.
We ought to sell 10,000 at this cheap rate, because soon the Libraries will find it more profitable than ordinary novels since they will have 8 volumes to distribute in lieu of 4. But no one can tell.
Were we not lucky to have escaped the festival 353 which seems to have been a failure? The more so as the weather here was delicious and we have got into that charming house opposite our cottage, so that creature comforts have permitted work to go on quietly and successfully.
We return to the Priory on the 1st September. Not to shoot partridges but far wilder birds known as "readers in general" who are not at all particular.
Ever yours faithfully
G. H. Lewes.
John Blackwood Esq.
Signature
G. H. Lewes.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to John Blackwood, Shottermill, 21 August 1871, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/94766